Enhancing Rover Teleoperation on the Moon With Proprioceptive Sensors and Machine Learning Techniques

Geological formations, environmental conditions, and soil mechanics frequently generate undesired effects on rovers’ mobility, such as slippage or sinkage. Underestimating these undesired effects may compromise the rovers’ operation and lead to a premature end of the mission. Minimizing mobility risks becomes a priority for colonising the Moon and Mars. However, addressing this challenge cannot be treated equally for every celestial body since the control strategies may differ; e.g. the low latency EarthMoon communication allows constant monitoring and controls, something not feasible on Mars. This letter proposes a Hazard Information System (HIS) that estimates the rover’s mobility risks (e.g. slippage) using proprioceptive sensors and Machine Learning (supervised and unsupervised). A Graphical User Interface was created to assist human-teleoperation tasks by presenting mobility risk indicators. The system has been developed and evaluated in the lunar analogue facility (LunaLab) at the University of Luxembourg. A real rover and eight participants were part of the experiments. Results demonstrate the benefits of the HIS in the decision-making processes of the operator’s response to overcome hazardous situations

Lightweight Floating Platform for Ground-Based Emulation of On-Orbit Scenarios

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Percutaneous mitral repair: current and future devices

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the second most common valvular heart disease and its prevalence is increasing with population ageing. In the recent years we have witnessed the development of several transcatheter devices to correct MR in patients at high-risk for surgery. The majority of evidence regarding safety and efficacy of this new therapy comes from MitraClip studies. However, new alternatives on the field of valve repair have emerged with promising results. The aim of this review is to portrait the landscape of transcatheter mitral repair alternatives, from currently used devices to those that will have a role in the near future

Current HHT genetic overview in Spain and its phenotypic correlation: data from RiHHTa registry

Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare vascular disease with autosomal dominant inheritance. Disease-causing variants in endoglin (ENG) and activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1) genes are detected in more than 90% of cases submitted to molecular diagnosis. Methods: We used data from the RiHHTa (Computerized Registry of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia) registry to describe genetic variants and to assess their genotype-phenotype correlation among HHT patients in Spain. Results: By May 2019, 215 patients were included in the RiHHTa registry with a mean age of 52.5 ± 16.5 years and 136 (63.3%) were women. Definitive HHT diagnosis defined by the Curaçao criteria were met by 172 (80%) patients. Among 113 patients with genetic test, 77 (68.1%) showed a genetic variant in ACVRL1 and 36 (31.8%) in ENG gene. The identified genetic variants in ACVRL1 and ENG genes and their clinical significance are provided. ACVRL1 mutations were more frequently nonsense (50%) while ENG mutations were more frequently, frameshift (39.1%). ENG patients were significantly younger at diagnosis (36.9 vs 45.7 years) and had pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) (71.4% vs 24.4%) and cerebral AVMs (17.6% vs 2%) more often than patients with ACVRL1 variants. Patients with ACVRL1 variants had a higher cardiac index (2.62 vs 3.46), higher levels of hepatic functional blood tests, and anemia (28.5% vs 56.7%) more often than ENG patients. Conclusions: ACVRL1 variants are more frequent than ENG in Spain. ACVRL1 patients developed symptomatic liver disease and anemia more often than ENG patients. Compared to ACVRL1, those with ENG variants are younger at diagnosis and show pulmonary and cerebral AVMs more frequently

FLOCK-REPROD non hormonal insemination protocols for goats

Projekt je razvio inovativna rješenja za proizvodnju hormone free kozjeg mlijeka tijekom cijele godine. FLOCK-REPROD (Hormone free non-seasonal or seasonal goat reproduction for a sustainable European goat-milk market), uz potporu 7. okvirnog programa, iznosi nehormonska rješenja koja omogućuju kontrolu sezonosti uz primjenu umjetnog osjemenjivanja (UO). Na taj način FLOCK-REPROD pomaže uzgajivačima proizvesti više mlijeka i osigurava alternativni put koji je u skladu sa zakonskom regulativom EU koja ograničava uporabu hormona. Razvijeni su novi progestagen free UO protokoli (PG1, PG1, HF) koji uključuju postupke temeljene na učinku mužjaka i svjetlosnim režimima u svrhu indukcije i sinkronizacije ovulacije tijekom cijele godine. PG1 i PG2 temelje se na jednoj ili dvije injekcije prostaglandina (nisu podvrgnute rezidualnim ograničenjima). HF protokol je hormone free te može biti primijenjen i na organskim uzgojima. Novi protokoli UO testirani su u terenskim uvjetima. Najbolji su rezultati dobiveni s HF (58 % gravidnosti, slično klasičnom hormonskom protokolu HT), a zatim s PG2 (54 %) te PG1 (45 %). Osnovni problem za implementaciju protokola PG1 i HF jest visoka varijabilnost plodnosti među farmama. Novi protokoli UO manje su učinkoviti glede utrošenih radnih sati i ulaznih troškova u usporedbi s HT. PG1 je protokol koji zahtijeva najveći utrošak vremena, a nakon njega to su HF i PG2. HF se pokazao najskupljim protokolom, dok je PG2 jeftiniji od PG1. Veći radni angažman i viši troškovi koje stvaraju novi UO protokoli nastaju najviše zbog potrebe za dodatnim brojem jarčeva nužnih za provođenje utjecaja mužjaka (veći troškovi hranidbe, utrošak vremena za baratanje mužjacima).The project has developed innovative solutions for the production of hormone-free goat milk throughout the year. FLOCK-REPROD (“Hormone-free non-seasonal or seasonal goat reproduction for a sustainable European goat-milk market”), supported by the 7th Framework Programme, created non-hormonal solutions that enable seasonal control of reproduction, which include the use of artificial insemination (AI). In this way, FLOCK-REPROD helps farmers to produce more milk and provides an alternative in line with the EU legislation which restricts the use of hormones. New “progestagen free” AI protocols (PG1, PG2, HF) have been developed, which include protocols based on the male effect and light treatment in order to provide induction and synchronization of blokiovulation throughout the year. PG1 and PG2 are based on one or two injections of prostaglandins (not subject to residual restrictions so far). The HF protocol is hormone-free and can be applied even in organic farming systems. New AI protocols have been tested in field conditions. The best results were obtained with HF (58% pregnancy, similar to classical hormonal protocol HT results), and then with PG2 (54%) and PG1 (45%). The main problem for the implementation of protocols PG1 and HF is the high variability of fertility between goat farms. New AI protocols are less effective with regard to working hours and input costs compared with HT protocols. PG1 is a protocol that requires the greatest working hour input, followed by the HF and PG2 protocols. HF has proven to be the most expensive protocol, while the PG 2 is cheaper than the PG1 protocol. The greater work engagement and higher input costs created by new AI protocols arise mainly due to the need for additional bucks to perform the male effect (higher feeding costs, more time spent in handling males)

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

eXtended Reality for Enhanced Lunar Exploration Missions

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Enhanced Teleoperation for Lunar Exploration Missions through eXtended Reality

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